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Ink cartridge and printer using the same

A technology for printers and ink cartridges, applied in printing and other directions, to solve problems such as incomplete writing

Inactive Publication Date: 2007-08-15
SEIKO EPSON CORP
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

In another application that allows rewritable information about the ink to be written into the ink cartridge, conventional techniques cannot do anything about possible interruption of the writing operation, which often results in incomplete writing

Method used

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  • Ink cartridge and printer using the same
  • Ink cartridge and printer using the same
  • Ink cartridge and printer using the same

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

no. 1 example

[0132] (Central structure of an inkjet type printing device)

[0133]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a main part of an ink jet printer 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The ink jet printer 1 of this embodiment is used together with a computer PC to which a scanner SC is also connected. The computer PC reads and executes an operating system and predetermined programs, and this computer PC and the inkjet printer 1 in combination function as an inkjet type printing apparatus. The computer PC executes an application program using a specific operating system, performs processing of an input image, for example, reads it from a scanner SC, and displays a processed image on a CRT monitor MT. After the required image processing is completed, for example, after correcting the image on the CRT monitor MT, when the user issues a print command, a printer driver included in the operating system is activated to transmit the processed image data to ...

no. 2 example

[0182] The following describes a second embodiment according to the present invention, which can be applied to an ink jet printer having the same structure as the ink jet printer 1 of the first embodiment. Similar components are denoted by similar reference numerals, and they are not specifically described here. The difference from the first embodiment is that the same data related to the remaining amount of each ink is written into two different storage partitions assigned to each ink in a duplicative manner, and a write operation completion flag is attached to each The end of the bucket.

[0183] (Structure of storage element 80)

[0184] Similar to the arrangement of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 7, in the arrangement of the second embodiment, the rewritable data stored in the second storage area 760 includes the data on the remaining amount of the first black ink and the remaining amount of the second black ink. Amount-related data are assigned to the first and seco...

no. 3 example

[0204]The following describes a third embodiment according to the present invention, which can be applied to an ink jet printer having the same structure as the ink jet printer 1 of the first embodiment. Similar components are denoted by similar reference numerals, and they are not specifically described here. Fig. 19 shows a data array of a memory element 800 contained in a color ink cartridge 107F in the third embodiment. 20A-20C schematically show the data structures of the first color ink remaining amount storage division and the second color ink remaining amount storage division included in the memory element 800 of the third embodiment. Fig. 21 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure executed when determining data on the remaining amounts of color inks in the third embodiment.

[0205] The internal data structure of the storage element 800 in the color ink cartridge 107F of the third embodiment is partially different from that of the storage element 80 in the colo...

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PUM

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Abstract

In an ink jet printer of the present invention, in order to reduce the manufacturing cost, an inexpensive EEPROM enabling only sequential accesses is applied for storage elements incorporated in a black ink cartridge and a color ink cartridge. The data array of a memory cell included in each of the storage elements mounted on the ink cartridges is determined in such a manner that a second storage area, in which rewritable data, for example, data on remaining quantities of inks in the ink cartridge, are stored, is accessed prior to a first storage area, in which read only data are stored. This configuration enables the rewritable data to be securely written into the second storage area even after a power-off operation. The second storage area has two memory divisions allocated to each ink, that is, a first ink remaining quantity memory division and a second ink remaining quantity memory division. Latest data on the remaining quantity of each ink is alternately written into these two memory divisions. Alternatively, the latest data on the remaining quantity of each ink is written into these two memory divisions in a duplicated manner. Each ink remaining quantity memory division has a write complete flag to determine whether or not a writing operation has been completed normally in the ink remaining quantity memory division. This arrangement enables the remaining quantities of the respective inks to be monitored accurately and continuously.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the application No. 99801995.X (PCT / JP99 / 06098), the filing date being November 2, 1999, and the title "an ink cartridge and a printer using the ink cartridge". technical field [0002] The present invention relates to an ink jet type printing apparatus, such as an ink jet printer and an ink jet plotter, and to an ink cartridge detachably assembled to a printer main body of the ink jet type printing apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to techniques for processing and storing information about the amount of ink held in an ink cartridge. Background technique [0003] Ink-jet type printing devices such as ink-jet printers and ink-jet painters mainly include an ink cartridge holding one or more inks and a printer body having a print head for actually performing printing operations on a printing medium. The print head ejects ink supplied from the ink cartridge to a printing medium such as printing pape...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(China)
IPC IPC(8): B41J2/175B41J2/21
Inventor 猿田稔久品田聪
Owner SEIKO EPSON CORP